Cabinet shelf supporting means



ug. 12, 1941. H, G KNUTH 2,252,570

CABINET SHELF SUPPORTING MEANS Filed June 22, 1940 *Wh ff u' Patented Aug. 12, 1941 CABINET SHELF SUPPORTING MEANS Harvey G. Knuth, Elgin, nl., assignor to Modem Steel Equipment Company, Geneva, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application June 22, 1940, Serial No. 341,888

2 Claims.

My invention relates more particularly to means for adjustably mounting the shelves in metall cabinets and especially in the type known as kitchen cabinets; and has for its object the provision of means whereby the shelves may be easily adjusted or arranged in spaced relation to meet the requirements and desires of the respective users without reso-rt to special tools.

Metal cabinets of the type in question, as well as the metal shelves, after being formed are then finished with an enamel coating so that the Subsequent addition of fastening elements, as for example shelf supporting latches forming an integral part of the shelf, is impracticable and would cause the finish to be greatly marred.

My invention contemplates a speciiic type of controllable latch which is intended to be integrally attached or welded to the shelf to cooperate with pre-arranged surfaces on the inner sides of the cabinet walls for holding the shelf at the desired elevation; the latch being so formed that the latch housing may be attached to the shelf, the shelf and latch housing provided withan enamel coating and the latch elements then easily inserted into thelatch housing without its removal.

The objects and advantages of my invention will all be readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a cabinet, portions being broken away and doors removed, with my improved shelf and supporting means also shown in section.

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 lookingin the direction of the Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken.

on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and illustrating in dotted lines the manner of inserting or removing one end wall of the latch housing.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, showing the end wall of the housing in normal position.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view ofthe latch housing with the rear wall and latch mechanism removed.

My invention relates to cabinets made of Vsheet metal and provided with one or more shelves which are removably secured in place and adapted to be positioned by the user; the cabinets usually being provided with doors which are not shown in the drawing as they form no part of the invention.

In the particular exemplilication merely a portion of one side wall is shown at I0 and a portion of the rear wall of the cabinet shown at II; the rear wall being preferably double as shown in Figure 1 in order that the cabinet may be dust and vermin proof. y

The side walls (of which only one is shown at I0) at the front side of the cabinet are bent into the rectangular box-like shape shown at I2 in Figure 3, to provide a side column for the dooropening; the respective sheets being generally welded together. It will be understood that the opposite side wall is likewise formed at the front side to provide a similar column at the other side of the door-opening.

The inner rear wall sheet IIa is stamped to provide the correlated upset portions I3, |321, arranged at predetermined distances apart, preferably in vertical alinement, to present oppositely disposed abutments or shoulders as shown in Figure 1 spaced apart in keeping with the depth of the shelves of which one is shown at I4.

The shelf I4 is also formed of sheet metal with its longitudinal or front and rear edges flanged or bent downwardly and thence diagonally upwardly as shown at I5 and this upwardly disposed bracing portion preferably welded to the lower side of the shelf.

As shown in Figure 1, the rear flanged portion of the shelf is adapted to fit snugly between the abutments or shoulders I3, I3a which firmly hold the rear edge of the shelf in place.

The bracing flange I5 at the forward edge of the shelf and adjacent the ends of the shelf is preferably cut away to receive my improved latch mechanism.

As the cabinets` and the shelves after being formed are then enameled, it is essential to provide a shelf holding latch which may be in tegrally united with the shelves by Welding before the shelf is enameled so as to provide a smooth unmarred surface. Itl is apparent that the ordinary type of latch after being welded to the shelf would become inoperative during the enameling operation. In lorder to overcome this dilculty I have devised my improved latch whose housing preferably consists of a single piece of sheet metal bent into somewhat kU-shape as shownin Figure 2 to provide the bottom wall I6, upstanding side walls I1, I'I, whose upper ends terminate in the flanges or wing portions I8, I8

which are adapted to extend ilush with the bot-1 tom of the shelf I4 and are welded thereto. The lower wall I6 at what may be termed the forward end of the latch has an extension I9 which is bent upwardly between the side walls I1, I l

to form a closure or stop for the forward end of the latch housing, see Figures 1 and 3; while the side Walls |1, at the rear end of the housing are provided with small lugs 20, bent inwardly at right angles to the side walls as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The latch also comprises a plunger 2| having top and bottom flat surfaces and the rear end preferably bent or curved to provide a :linger grasping portion which extends beyond the rear end of the housing. The forward end of the latch member 2| extends through a slot in the forward wall I9 of the housing and is adapted to engage in suitable slots arranged on the inside face of the column portion l2 of the cabinet front wall. The plunger member 2| at a suitable distance rearward of the forward latching end is laterally extended or enlarged Aat 22, 22 which.

extend beyond the ends of the slot in ,the front wall i9 of the housing and prevent further outward movement of the plunger as shown in Figure 3. These wings or extensions 22, 22 also provide abut-ments or shoulders for the forward end of the coil spring 23 which is disposed about the plunger 2|, while the rear end -of the spring 23 presses against the small rectangular plate 2li which `has .a rectangular slot 25 for passage of the rear end of plunger 2 therethrough; the slot 25 being slightly larger than the transverse. `dimensions of the rear end of the plunger to permit the plate 24 to be slightly canted on the plunger during introduction or withdrawal of the latch mechanism within the housing.

The plate 24 constitutes a removable rear wall for the housing and is held in place by the .small lugs .Zafter the plate has been canted as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 and pressed into the housing inwardly of the lugs 2G, as shown in Figure 4.

. With my yimproved latch, the plunger2 spring 23 and the rear wall plate. 2d are removed, the latch .housing properlypositioned `on the lower face of Vthe'shelf and the wings i8, I8 lpreferably spot welded to 'the shelf as shown. in Figure 2. Thisnpermits .the shelf Yand latchhousing to be properly enameled while the latch mechanism is out of the housing, because the lenamel coming into contact with the plunger and. spring would prevent proper operation.

. After the shelf with the latch `housing has been properly enameled,'the:plunger 2| .with encircling coiled springi23 and rear plate 2li are then vinsertedV through the -rear`open end of the housing by :pressing and canting the plate 25| florwardly, as shown in Figure 3, suiciently to enable the :plate 24 `to movepast the lugs 23, both at top 'and bottom,and the .plate Ithen righted so as to r-est against the 'inner faces of. the lugs l2i! where itV is held by the action of `spring 23 which also places the .plunger A2| under` pressure, jforce ing the forward end of 'the nplunger outwardly into latching position. As is also apparent, my improved construction will readily permit the latch 'memberor 'the spring to be readily removed and replaced should occasion require without need for removing the latch housing.

It :will be understood that the latch receiving slots in the cabinet wall are vertically spaced in keeping with theshelf jreceiyingspacing between the shoulders |i3, 1,3a on the cabinet rear wall so Ias `to hold the shelf in horizontal position; the shelf I4 being providedyvith a similar latch at opposite ends Vandhencefat opposite sides of the door openingin the front wall of the cabinet; while the rear wall vof the cabinet is preferably provided with two series of shoulders I3, |3a adjacent the side walls of the cabinet in order that the shelf may be firmly held against tilting when various commodities are superposed thereon.

As shown inthe drawing, the distance between the shoulders on the latch plunger and the removable end wall is such that the coil spring will become seated when the plunger is pulled rearwardly and thus prevents the forward end of the plunger being withdrawn from the slot in the front wall of the housing.

I prefer to arrange the latches at the same longitudinal edge of the shelf to enable the user to conveniently manipulate both latches to releasev the latter while also holding the shelf in proper position; the latch plungers automatically entering the slots in the cabinet front wall when the shelf approaches proper horizontal position.

The exemplication as shown in the drawing is believed to be the simplest embodiment of the invention, described in terms of rdescription and not as Aterms of limitation, as structural modifications may be possible without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A cabinet shelf supporting latch comprising a singlepiece latch housing having a main, two sides and front end walls, the end wall having a slot while the side walls at ythe rear end of the housing are provided with opposingly disposed l-ugs; a transversely slotted plate of dimensions less than theinside dimensions of the housing adapted to be edgewisely insertible through the rear end of the `housing and normally seatable against said lugs; `a plunger adapted to extend through the slot in the fron-t end wall and provided with lateral lextensions adapted to limit its forward movement while the rear rend 0f the plunger is of vdimensions less than the length of the slot in `said plate to permit the latter to be canted on thev plunger; and a coil spring encircling the plunger intermediate of its lateral extensions and said plate whereby the forward endef'the plunger is forced through the slot in the front end wall and said plate held against said lugs; the associated plungenspring and plate being lall insertible through the vrear open end of the housing when 'said plate is canted von the plunger.

. 2. A cabinet shelf supporting latch comprising a housing having a main wall, two side walls and a front end wall, the `latter being provided lwith an opening while the side walls at the rear open end of the housing have-spaced apart opposing'ly disposed lugs; a plunger of length greater than the length of the housing adapted to normally extend throughthe opening in said .end wall while its rear end is formed to .provide a ngergrasping portion, thev plunger intermediate its ends :being formed to limit its movement through the opening in said end wall; .a :plate adapted to be edgewisely inserted through the open end'of the housing and to seat on said lugs, said plate having an aperture of length greater than the width of ythe rear end of the plunger to permit the plate to be tilted on the plunger; and a spring mounted on the plunger for normally pressing vthe-plunger forward and to hold said plate against said lugs, the assembled plunger, spring and plate being insertible through the rear-fopen enld'of the housing when said plate is tilted on the plunger to pass between said lugs after the housing hasbeen secured in place.

' HARVEY G'. KNUTH. 

